Eden Prairie family loses three generations in Kandiyohi County crash

Marta Stoffers, 68, her daughter Michelle Hoffmann, 40, and her granddaughter Julia Hoffmann, 8, were all killed in a fiery crash in Kandiyohi County Friday night. Stoffers' 5-year-old grandson, Jason Hoffman survived the crash and is at Hennepin County Medical Center. Stoffers lived in Atwater and her daughter's family lived in Eden Prairie. Paul A. Wickenhuaser, 21, of Norwood, is in custody facing possible charges of criminal vehicular homicide. The State Patrol reports that alcohol was likely involved.

Marta Stoffers, 68, her daughter Michelle Hoffmann, 40, and her granddaughter Julia Hoffmann, 8, were all killed in a fiery crash in Kandiyohi County Friday night, reports KARE-TV.

Stoffers' 5-year-old grandson, Jason Hoffman survived the crash and is at Hennepin County Medical Center. Stoffers lived in Atwater and her daughter's family lived in Eden Prairie. Paul A. Wickenhuaser of Norwood is in custody facing possible charges of criminal vehicular homicide. The State Patrol reports that alcohol was likely involved.

WCCO-TV reports that Wickenhuas has two misdemeanor violations on his record: a moving violation in 2008, and a petty misdemeanor for underage consumption of liquor in 2009.

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The accident comes on the day a new statewide crackdown on drinking and driving went into effect -- an initiative by state law enforcement to curb drinking and driving through Labor Day.

The state Department of Public Safety says 68 percent of fatal accidents last year involved drivers who had blood alcohol levels of at least .16 -- twice the legal limit for driving.

A 21-year-old man from Cokato was charged Monday in a crash that killed three generations of a family over the weekend, WCCO reports. Michelle Hoffman, 40, her 8-year-old daughter Julia and her mother-in-law, 68-year-old Marty Stoffers, died in the crash Friday night near Willmar. Investigators believe Paul Wickenhauser, who was driving the pickup truck that struck their vehicle, had been drinking.

Three Wisconsin teens are dead after a single-vehicle crash Tuesday night. The Eau Claire County Sheriff's Department told the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, the car was traveling at a high rate of speed when it crashed. Two other minors were injured. A toxicology test will be conducted on the driver, but alcohol is not suspected.

Law enforcement officials and the family of Deianerah "D.J." Logan's on Tuesday said an investigation indicates she was writing a text message at the time her car struck a stopped school bus, the Rochester Post-Bulletin reports. The 17-year-old died in the crash on the first day of her senior year in high school. "We all have a lot of distractions when we drive," the teen's father said, "and this particular distraction is what cost our daughter her life."